Tank-securing means



Patented Mar. 19, l

UNITED STATES den PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. MITZENIUS, OF JERSEYv CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAR AND FOUNDRY COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

TANK-SECURING MEANS.

Application led April 10, 1928.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate the preferred form ot the invention; though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details or" construction shown and de- Cil scribed, as it is obvious that various modiications thereof within the scope of the claims will occurA to persons skilled in the art. y

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device, showing a tank in section secured thereby;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation oit the device shown in F ig. 1, certain part-s being shown in section, the view being taken on the line e-*a rig. i;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; and

4 is a sectional view on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1.

rThis inventionrelates to a means for securing tanks or the like to a support which may be a railway car or other carrier, and has particular reference to a clamping means for said tanks.

One objecto the invention is the provision oit a simple and inexpensive clamping device.

Another object of the invention is the provision 0ic oppositely acting clamp elements Yadapted to secure tanks orother containers to a carrier such as a railway car or the like.

lfihile the present invention is particularly designed for use withrailway cars, such, for example, as the gondola type, the construction of such cars forms no part of the present invention, and hence no details thereot are illustrated. I am aware that it is old in the art to provide multi-unit tank cars and I .make no claim to such a broad concept.

'The present invention is designed particulai-ly tor the retention ot vertically arranged tanks in or to a suitable carrier, and to that end. the invention contemplates the provision of spaced channel girders indicated at 2 and 3 respectively,` girder 2 being supported intermediate its ends by suitable standards 4 (see Fig. 3) the lower ends orc which standards are secured to the carrier (not shown). The girder 2 is also secured at its ends to the carrier and is riveted to the standards'as at 6. As clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the girders are arranged in spaced relation whereby to receive between them suitable Serial No. 268,998.

tanks 8; the tanks being vertically positioned as clearly indicated in Fig. 2.

.The securing means for the tanks are carriedby the several girders, and referring now to girder 2, it can be seen that the said securing means comprises a clamping assemblage including a base portion or mount 10 having horizontally arranged attaching ears 12 by which the base portion is secured through the medium of rivets 14 or the like. In practice, the base portion is preferably provided with depending lugs 15 which are adapted to enter suitable apertures in the girder 2 whereby to position the base portion. The base portion is provided with oppositely arranged vertical ribs 16 extending transversely of the girder and each provided with an extended head 18 defining spaced guideways 2O within which oppositely tacing clamp elements 22 and 24 respectively are arranged for horizontal movement.

Intermediate the ends of the ribs 16 and preferably formed integral therewith is a backing plate 26 against the opposite faces of which the heads 27 and 29 of operating screws 2S and 30 are adapted to work. The screws 28 and 30 are provided with annular bearing surfaces 32 and 34 respectively adjacent the respective heads, which bearing vsurfaces are seated in recesses 36 provided in bearings 38 formed integral with the base portion 10 on each side of the backing plate 26. rlhe screws, as above implied, tace in opposite directions and have threaded engagement with the clamps 22 and 24 for actuating thelatter; the screws extending into threaded sockets 40 and 42 respectively, of the clamps 22 and 24.

The clamps each comprise an upper portion 44 having a head 46 the face of which is arcuate shaped to engage the outer surface of a cylindrical tank. The side edges 48 ol the upper portion of the clamps converge rearwardly and are connected by webs 56 extending to the sockets 4() and 42 respectively', whereby` to' form a unitary structure. The clamps also include a base or guiding portion, the same comprising spaced guide rails 52 the lower edges of which are odset as at 54 to be positioned under the heads 18 of the ribs 16, and in the oppositely arranged guideways 20, as will be obvious from Fig. 4; the odsetportions 54 defining angular recesses 56 into each of which a screw 58 extends. The screws 58 serve as stop elements for limiting the forward movement of the clamps; the latter being provided with integral abutments 60 at the rear ends' of the rails 52, as shown more clearly in Fig. 1. For reinforcing purposes and to provide a unitary structure oppositely arranged rails 52 are connected by transverse ribs 62 formed integral with said rails and with the sockets 40 and 42 respectively.

The description just above refers particularly to the construction of the clamp assem- Cil blage secured tot-he girder 2 and said assemblage isemp'loyed intermediate the ends of the carrier whereby to engage a tank positione'd on each side of the girder. At the ends of the carrier, `it is a parent that opposed clamps are not requiredp; only lone being necessary, and the girder 3 is shown as-being securedl to either a standard 64 or the upper surface of the carrier end. A clamp mount is secured to the girder, the same including the attaching ears G6 which receive rivets 68. The mount comprises the side walls hav- .ing the heads 72 which define guidewaysT/l within which the clamp 76V is horizontally movable'. The clamp is in all respects simiylar to those heretofore described so the same t cha 'actors of reference are applied thereto and the same description is applicable. This is a single clamp assemblage, however, and

lthe side walls 7() are connected by an end plate 7 8 serving as a backing' plate in a manner similar to that described above with reference to the backing plate of the assemblage shown on girder 2f As before-mentioned, the clamp assemblages are mounted on transverse grders secured to a carrier; the latter being adapted to vreceive vertical tanks to be supported thereby. Prior to the placing of the tanks on the carrier, the clamps are withdrawn from their extended positions by means of a suitable tool which engages the heads of the screws. The tanks may then be positioned between oppositely arranged clamp assemblages and the clampsthen yactuated by meansfof the screws to engage the heads of said clamps with the outer surfaces of the tanks'whereby to secure the tanks to the carrier.y It will be apparent that the clamps are forced outwardly due to the engagement of the heads of thescrews Vwith the backing plates. It will also be seen thatto withdraw the clamps, a reversal. of the screws is necessary, the under surfaces ofthe heads binding against the bearings thereby retaining the screws against horizontal movement and ei'ecting a. backing up of the clamps. lt is believed that the construction andv operation of the device will be fully apparent to those r skilled in the art from the above description when considered in conjunction-with the drawings, andA it is further believedV apparent that those skilled in the art 'will recognize that a simple, inexpensive,

strong and durable clamping means for securing vertical tanks to a. carrier has been provided.

liVh'at is claimed is:

l. Means for securing a tank or the like to a carrier comprising oppositely arranged clamp elements for engaging said tank, a base portion supporting said elements on which they are horizontally movable, an actuating screw for each element provided with a head, bearings supporting said screws and with which the heads are adapted to contact to limit horizontal shifting of the screws in one direction when the latter are actuated to retract the. clamp elements, and a. `backing plate on each base portion for limiting horizontal shifting of the screws in the opposite direction when the latter are actuated to project the clamp elements.

2. A device of the kind described comprisingineans for securing tanks or the like to a carrier including standards, girders secured to the standards, oppositely arranged clamp elements for engaging the outer surfaces of a pair of spaced tanks, saidelemei'its being movable horizontally, oppositely extending actuating screws for the clampv elements, bearings supporting said screws and limiting horizontal shifting of the screws inone direction, and a backing plate interposed between the ends of said screws for limiting horizontal shifting of the latter in the opposite direct-ion.`

8. A device of the kind described comprising' a clamp assembly including a. base portion, oppositely arrangedv clamp elements horizontally movable onthe baseportion to be retracted and projected, oppositely extending actuating screws vfor the clamp element-s, bearings supporting said screwsV and limiting io'rizontal movement of the screws when the latter are Aactuatedto retract the clamp elements, and a backing plate common to said screws and with which the ends of the latter are adapted to contact to limit horizontal shifting thereof when the screws are actuated to project'theV clamp elements. p

it. A device yof the kind described comprising a clamp asseniblyvincluding aV base portion, `oppositely arranged clamp elements horizontally movable on the base portion to be retracted and projected, oppositely extending actuating screws for the clamp elements, bearings supporting said screws and limiting horizontal movement of the screws'when the latter are actuated to retract the-clamp elements,l and cooperating means yon the base portion and clamp elements to limit the pro jection of the'la'tter.

5. A securing means for tanks or the like comprising standards adaptedk to be secured j toa carrier, a girder secured to the standards, a clamp mount' secured to the girder and pro vided with spaced guideways, a backing plate extending between the guideways intermediate the ends thereof, oppositely extending clamps movable in the guideways and having a tank engaging head and a socket, a bearing member on each side ot' the backing plate, and operating screws mounted in the bearings and threadedly engaged in the socket-s, said screws having actuating heads arranged between the bearings and backing plate to engage said bearings and backing pla-te upon actuation whereby to retain the screws in position to actuate the clamps.

6. A securing means for tanks or the like comprising a clamp assembly having a base portion, guidewavs on said base porti-on, oppositely arranged Vclamp elements supported by the base and movable in the guidewajvs, said clamp elements each having a head portion :tor engaging a tank` a. base portion and a socket, oppositely extending operating screws for the ela-inps engaged in the sockets tor actuating the clamp elements to retract or project the latter, and means "for retaining the operating screws against substantial horizontal movement during operation thereof.

7. In a device ot the kind described, a clamp assemblyv comprising a base portion, guideways on the base portion, a clamp element mounted on the base portion for movement in the guideways, and provided with an arcuate face for engaging a tank and a threaded socket, a bearing on the base portion, an operating screw mountedL in the bearing and extending into the socket, an actuating head "for the screw, an abutmentforined on the base portion with which the actuating head contacts upon rotation of the screw to project the clamp element, and a stop element for liniiting the projection of the clamp element.

8. A device of the kind described comprising clamp assembly including a base portion, oppositely arranged clamp elements horizontally movable on the base portion to be retracted and projected, oppositelv extending actuating screws for the clamp elements, bearings supporting said screws and with which said screws Contact upon rotation of the latter whereby the clamp elements are retracted on the screws and a backing plate common to both screws and with which the said screws contact upon opposite rotation thereotI to project the clamp elements on said screws to clamping position.

ln witness whereoIn I have hereunto set niv hand.

CHARLES VM. MTZENIUS. 

